Night Life

[H.A.R.D.L.I.N.E]

The world of Brokellia was an oddity, ripped in half by a want to be god many years ago, it was now a cracked world, half of its mass catapulted into another reality, never to return. Billions of lives lost in an instant, the planet was still recovering many years later, struggling to get back to where it was before the event. They would never forget, the constant reminder being the edge of the world, and the now solid core that sat exposed over the almost habitable world.

Hardline had been sent by Cerberus to investigate reports of theft for a client. The client had critical financial information stolen from him at a club on Brokellia during a layover, and while the situation was handled from the banks side, he wanted to know who did it, that was where Cerberus came in. Hardline could blend in as a server droid rather easily, obscure droid models were common either due to class, or modification, giving him a very innocuous appearance to the average person.

Hardline payed off the management staff to get him in, it wasn’t cheap, but he did it, not that it mattered to him, it was the clients’ money, not his. He quickly scanned down how things were done, and started acting like a server. He grabbed a drinks tray and made his way out into the main room, delivering as he was ordered until he could get a good eye for the patrons and staff, hopefully somebody would stand out.

His analytical AI companion was rather quiet that day, they seemed to be contemplating the events that led to his joining of Cerberus, they were interesting to say the least. The Oracle AI’s were based off Hardlines own AI code, or at least, the best that they could replicate it, it was damn good, but not perfect. He decided to leave her alone, she would speak when she was ready. Hardline could handle his own data processing, the AI was more for companionship than anything else.

He used his various databases and ID systems to quickly filter down to more interesting patrons, there were quite a few, crime lords, businessmen, politicians, anything you could imagine for a somewhat upper-class night club. One stood out however, the basic profile showed that one of the dancers was a sort of agent for hire, and a member of a small up and coming pirate gang. She stood out like a sore thumb, you don’t normally think of prolific spies moonlighting as exotic dancers. He had his first suspect.

He approached the woman, putting on a rather posh accent to fit the part.

“Madame, Management would like to speak with you, please follow me.” He said.

He began to lead her into a quiet back room he had arranged earlier. He made sure the room was stripped of cameras and other recording devices, it would be rather embarrassing to have the whole plot fall in on itself because the owner caught on.

[member="Vettu'honi'oazi"]

 

[Asheda Tyr]

Vettu always wondered why they remained the broken part of the smuggler planet to its now current and strange one, perhaps it was just her Chiss nature but the worlds new, well new to her, title seemed rather... mocking. Similar to after you have demolished a structure, all that is left is block, building or rubble, maybe it was just a sick joke someone though was funny. Regardless it was non of her concern, she was on a job that the grey claw pirates were offered, some rich extortionist that had been fleecing the savings out of aid workers and poor sods trying to make ends meet and get the planet back up and running again.

Unlike other pirate groups the Grey Claw were there to help the poor and old stole from the rich, but unlike other jobs that might have involved thugs and other wanted or unpleasant men, the person she was tasked with 'investigating' was a fairly well off and hidden individual. This required and espionage expert, and Vettu was more then willing to help the group out, and flex her spy skills in the not so legal acquisition of the mans, financial information, and swipe some credits for herself, have to pay the bills somehow.

The whole task had gone smoothly, though their where hints of her deeds being tracked, and as such had retreated to a night club to pose as a typical dancer, a usual tacit used by the Chiss, and one that worked well. So far the night had been going great, with several 'patrons' showing personal interest in the woman, yet another way to attain some more wealth, and in a way that was win win. Unfortunately her attention was bought to bear by a protocol droid, requesting that she see management?

"Okay, I will be right there", she gave the droids a smile but something felt, odd, why waist a protocol droid on just sending a message to her? Something felt off, and if something felts off their was an almost 100% chance that something WAS off, never the lest it would only complicate things to try and run, she would play along... for now. Exciting the stage Vettu game a flirty wave to her audience, proceeding to follow the droid.

[member="H.A.R.D.L.I.N.E"]

 

[H.A.R.D.L.I.N.E]

Hardline was quite pleased that his ruse had worked so far, she followed without question, she would be suspicious by the time they got to the room, the act was up, but he just needed her alone, not fooled. As they entered the vacant office in the back, Hardline closed the door, and locked it subtly from the inside. He had already cased the room, and made the proper precautions to make sure he would not be spied on by the club owner.

The room was dark, with nothing but a single window letting the moonlight in in the back, the shades slightly open, letting enough light in to see. There was an old wood desk with an antique lamp sitting on it, in the corner was an old looking coat rack, and a rug sat in front of the desk. There were a few filing cabinets in the corner, and a fine wooden chair sitting behind the desk, it looked like something straight out of an old noir holo vid.

“Alright lets both drop the act, I know who you are Ms. Vettu'honi'oazi, and you are no exotic dancer. I go by Hardline, and I was hired by my client to investigate reports of identity theft occurring to partrons of this establishment.” He said dropping the fancy accent for his normal, much more common accent. “My first question, is quite simply if you would happen to know anything about these happenings. It is your choice if to tell the truth, but I have ways of getting it anyway, so speak wisely. I hope you can be professional about this seeing as we are both in the same business. We are both just trying to get paid after all.”

[member="Vettu'honi'oazi"]

 

[Asheda Tyr]

They both walked in silence towards the back, fully aware that each other knew what the other was, but making a scene about it would not do her any good, bowing cover was a no no. She walked into the room, its dark interior casting a shroud on its only occupants, no doubt mister protocol droid had made the place in-escapable, if things went south she would have to resort to other methods, to bad robots didn't get horny, or did they, questions for another time.

She kept her arms cross and a slight smirk on her face as the droid paced around the room, almost like a police interrogation, "You must be mistaken, I am an exotic dancer, do you think I do this just to as cover, oh my no, dancing is a hobby of mind, and a good way to earn some extra cash". It was funny how the droids way of talking changed, it seemed unnecessary, maybe it I was a ego thing, or to act as cover, but she doubted many people would really care how droids talked.

She gave a slight smirk to the droids, "Just because I use unconventional methods to conduct my work, do not think for a second I am soft, my dad trained me well to resist interrogation". "your ways might end up getting me killed if you go to far, you know being a droid and all I don;t think you really though the full limitations of organics, you might accidentally go to much, and if that happen no one wins". She let her arms rest against the wall, deciding to try and talk this out, without the proper equipment fighting was not an option.

"True I may have broken the law, but in a morals scene I've don't nothing wrong, if your search of me i as detailed as I think you have made it then you know the Grey Claw Pirates, and the code we stand by, so let me ask you, what can I do to get you to reconsider, I have many skills that could be of use, and maybe others, you have many friends, that are organics"?

[member="H.A.R.D.L.I.N.E"]

 

[H.A.R.D.L.I.N.E]

The Chiss responded as he expected, given her background at least. The Holonet was wonderful in the fact that anything you wanted could be found there if you looked hard enough, everything was hooked up to it these days, and it took significant effort to secure computer systems, effort most people, even governments, did not bother to put up with.

Hardline laughed a bit, one might think of it as artificial but it was far from that, he was built that way, with actual emotions simulated on a chip, people had debated for millennia whether simulated emotions were real or not, they were real enough to him.

“Who said anything about interrogation? You would be surprised what you can find if you look hard enough, most of what anyone needs is hidden in plain sight. the organic body has thousands of processes you cannot even hope to control unless you had the sort of self-awareness that only Jedi have. Blink rate, pupil dilation, body language, vocal patterns, ticks, heart rate, hormone levels, everything I need is standing right in front of me.” He said

“I also know of your particular skill set, there are numerous records hidden around the place on you and you pirate gang. Everything leaves a paper trail. You just need to know where to look. I had no intention of turning you in, killing you, or torturing you. I already have everything I need. My contract simply states that I needed to investigate, it mentioned nothing about capture and return. I will instead grant you and your gang an opportunity. Cerberus is looking for warriors, spies, and anyone else willing to do some shady work for a credit or two. I am willing to extend you an invitation.” He said, quickly dispensing a business card from a small socket on his wrist.

It was a small thin piece of cardboard, with his contact information on it. His name, address, and a secure comm frequency. It had an image of a 3 headed dog imposed on the back of the card.

“You have talent, but you still have much to learn. If you wish to take me up on the offer, contact me. Do not worry about my investigation, I have a scapegoat prepared already.” He said “I hope you take me up on this offer, I believe you have great potential. Now I must get going. Farewell.”

Hardline then unlocked the door, taking his time just in case she had any questions, before leaving the room, heading towards the back exit of the building.

[member="Vettu'honi'oazi"]

 

[Asheda Tyr]

The droid was very talkative and had the latest emotional simulation chip, it seemed that boasting about his own skills was, going into great detail on how he could work out who she was, listing of many, many different ways. "If droids are so good at reading people and able to do that, why have you yet to take over the galaxy".

It was a sarcastic comment, she did not believe that the droid could read her every movement and know what she was thinking or doing all the time. Machines can be fooled, sure she could not control her body as well as a Jedi, but keeping ones heart rate steady, pupils, which hiss balefully had, from dilating, or purposelessly do movements to cause confusion, but there was not point arguing, this robot had done his research.

Vettu watched with interest as the droid produced the cardboard business card, 'Did he really get an upgraded to have something like that added, he, cute'. Her red eyes scanned the card, looking over its detailed, the three headed animal on the fro looking strange,was that a Cerberus? certain guilds did like to name themselves after the symbols they placed as their mascots, and vice versa. Looking around she discreetly placed the card between her breasts, not having any real place to keep it, being in a dancing outfit and all.

"Your offer sounds more enticing then the Grey Claws, ill give you that", she commented as the droid started to leave, "But tell me, why recruit a agent fore hire, I would think that this organization has much more highly skilled operative like you working among them, whats your reasoning, or are you just low on members"?

[member="H.A.R.D.L.I.N.E"]